Marauders Move Within Two Games of Playoff Berth

BRADENTON – The Bradenton Marauders, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, reduced their magic number to two Monday with an 11-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets. 

Bradenton jumped out on St. Lucie starter Kyle Allen early hitting him for nine runs in the first three innings. The Marauders batted around in the first, highlighted by doubles from Robbie Grossman and Ramon Cabrera and an RBI single from Cole White.  Elevys Gonzalez also hit in the inning, raising his season-best hitting streak to 13.  It was 5-0 after one.

In the second Bradenton struck for another run with another Grossman double.  He scored on a Cabrera groundout.  The three runs in the third came on a sacrifice fly from Bengie Gonzalez, single by Grossman and a wild pitch to score Kelson Brown.  The M’s added two more runs with a single and double from Elevys Gonzalez and Carlos Paulino in the seventh.  Paulino scored on an error, one of eight made by the teams combined.

On the Mound Nathan Baker fired six innings of two-run ball.  He carried a no-hitter into the fifth, despite allowing two runs in the second on two walks and two errors.  He earned the win, his 10th.  Scheduled to make one more start in the regular season, Baker can equalize Nathan Adcock’s total of 11 wins from last season, most by a Marauders.

The loss belongs to Allen, his tenth.  There was no save.

The Marauders travel to Palm Beach Tuesday for a 6:30 start with radio coverage at 6:15 on 1280-AM WTMY.   With a win Bradenton will clinch the second half championship in the Florida State League South Division.  For more information go online to BradentonMarauders.com.